Inorganic arsenic contamination and the health of children living near an inactive mining site: northern Thailand

Authors

  • Sarun Kunwittaya National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6551-3614
  • Nootchanart Ruksee National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3025-2017
  • Thirata Khamnong National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3045-767X
  • Athiwat Jiawiwatkul National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3024-8301
  • Nonthasruang Kleebpung National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3280-4412
  • Vasunun Chumchua National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3052-4142
  • Adisak Plitponkarnpim National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand; Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4725-5759
  • Chutikorn Nopparat Innovative Learning Center, Srinakharinwirot University, Sukhumvit 23, Bangkok, 10110, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7984-3948
  • Kannika Permpoonputtana National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand, Phone: (662) 441-0602; Fax: (662) 441-0167; E-mail: kannika.per@mahidol.ac.th https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6442-8629

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2022-4922

Keywords:

children, inorganic arsenic, mining industry

Abstract

Arsenic toxicity is a global health problem affecting millions of people. Contamination is caused by arsenic from natural geological sources leaching into aquifers, contaminating drinking water, and may also be caused by mining and other industrial processes. Acute arsenic poisoning is associated with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and severe diarrhea. Chronic arsenic toxicity results in multisystemic diseases leading to central nervous system (CNS) impairments such as cognitive or intellectual deficits in children. Over the past ten years, arsenic contamination has been reported in northern Thailand. The Ministry of Public Health; Thailand, Forensic Science Institute Thammasat University, and the Research Center to Promote Safety and Prevent Injuries in Children at the Ramathibodi Hospital compiled a report on the health impact of the population within a 10 kilometer radius around a mine tailing in the Phichit, Phitsanulok, and Phetchabun Provinces of Thailand. It showed that more than 30 % of children (aged 8–13 years) had higher than normal arsenic contamination levels based on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). After the publication of that report, the mine was temporarily closed in 2016. Based on this data, this research aimed to follow arsenic contamination after the mining operation had stopped operation for three years. The study showed that 4.5 % of school aged children had levels of inorganic arsenic in their urine, higher than the normal range (ATSDR), showing clearly that inorganic arsenic contamination is still above the normal range in children living near an inactive mining site. Therefore, monitoring heavy metal contamination in Thailand and the health effects on vulnerable children who live near mines during regular operation or after being temporarily suspended can prevent and mitigate possible health impacts.

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2022-07-26

How to Cite

Kunwittaya, S., Ruksee, N., Khamnong, T., Jiawiwatkul, A., Kleebpung, N., Chumchua, V., … Permpoonputtana, K. (2022). Inorganic arsenic contamination and the health of children living near an inactive mining site: northern Thailand. EXCLI Journal, 21, 1007–1014. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2022-4922

Issue

Vol. 21 (2022)

Section

Original articles

Categories

License

Copyright (c) 2022 Sarun Kunwittaya, Nootchanart Ruksee, Thirata Khamnong, Athiwat Jiawiwatkul, Nonthasruang Kleebpung, Vasunun Chumchua, Adisak Plitponkarnpim, Chutikorn Nopparat, Kannika Permpoonputtana

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish in this journal agree to the following terms:

  • The authors keep the copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license, CC BY 4.0. This licencse permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.
  • The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, and so forth in this publication, even if not specifically identified, does not imply that these names are not protected by the relevant laws and regulations.
  • Because the advice and information in this journal are believed to be true and accurate at the time of publication, neither the authors, the editors, nor the publisher accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions presented in the publication. The publisher makes no guarantee, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein.
  • The authors can enter into additional contracts for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version by citing the initial publication in this journal (e.g. publishing in an institutional repository or in a book).

Most read articles by the same author(s)